Moon Lilies
by Maggie 'Marauder' Weasley
Summary: It's November 5th 1977. The Quidditch afterparty is in full swing but Lily Evans sits alone in emotional turmoil. James is over her and dating her friend Jezelyn, and Tuney just sent a letter announcing her recent marriage. When she turns to Remus for comfort it leads to an unexpected romantic relationship, but she soon realizes it won't be that simple. RL/LE WARNING-Teen Pregnancy
1. Chapter One: Losing Control

_**A/N: **_**This is my second publicly shared FanFiction. (To read more about my first ****_attempts_**** at writing FanFics, see my bio...)**

Also, I would like to point out that this is my FIRST EVER attempt at writing in 1st-Person POV, so please let me know how I did!

And thank you to **Animorphs007** for reading through every single one of my fanfics I've ever written...she's been a big help!

**This is actually an idea that has been bouncing around in my head for some time now. It started back when I was looking for some fanart I could use for my OC on a Harry Potter Roleplay website called Wizmail. My character (Maggie Weasley) has red hair and green eyes and was dating Remus Lupin's son, so I started looking for Lily/Remus fanart. I discovered that, apparently, Lily/Remus isn't a very popular pairing used in fanart, or fanfiction for that matter. That's when I started pondering the idea of writing one of my own. It was around that time that I read Bloody Phantom's ****_Harry PotterLupin?_**** and finally found inspiration for my first Lily/Remus fanfic. Enjoy!**

**Howling At The Moon,**

_**~M.J.W.**_

_**Moon Lilies**_

* * *

**Chapter One – Losing Control**

* * *

It was November 5th, 1977.

The after-party for the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw Quidditch game, a Gryffindor victory in our first game of the year, roared on around me as I sat by the fire, oblivious to it all. In one hand, I was clutching a slightly crumpled letter. The other held a half-finished glass of firewhiskey - my third one of the night. I wasn't drunk. I knew my limits and wouldn't dare cross them, I was too smart for that.

Although, after reading that letter, I almost wish I _was_ drunk. That wasn't the only reason. I had been pretty upset before then.

And why was I upset?

For the first time in almost seven years, James Potter wasn't interested in me. You would think that I'd be happy about that - ecstatic even - but I wasn't. for some inexplicable reason, as I set there watching James cuddle on the sofa with my best friend Jezelyn Lewis, I felt a burning jealousy course through me. this was soon followed by the gargantuan wave of sadness that hit me when I realized he didn't like me anymore.

Why?! _Why_ was I upset? This was Potter, for Pete's sake! I'd hated him with a deep and utter loathing since day one on the train! Why did I suddenly feel so empty?

"Lily?"

I felt someone sit on the arm of my chair. A hand reached over and gently pulled the letter from my grasp.

"Tuney got married," I said softly, staring off into nothingness. "She didn't even tell me she was engaged."

"Oh, Lily," Remus breathed, kneeling in front of me.

"I'm her sister," I whispered. I felt my eyes brim with tears, and before I could stop myself, I was crying silently into my lap.

"That's not all, is it?" Remus asked knowingly. I shook my head. "Want to talk about it?" I nodded. It often happened that I got upset over something I couldn't talk to the girls about. Petunia was one of those somethings. When this happened, Remus and I would sit on his bed with the curtains drawn and I would tell him everything that was bothering me. He was the first friend I had made at Hogwarts, and I was the first to discover why Remus disappeared every month.

It had started back at the end of my fifth year when I realized I could no longer turn to Severus for help. I was just glad Potter still hadn't caught on, or Remus would have been killed at least a hundred times by then.

Remus plucked the half-finished glass of firewhiskey from my fingers and left it on the table for someone else to clean up later. He helped me to my feet and put a comforting arm around my shoulders, leading me over to the boys' staircase with a quick glance to make sure no-one was watching.

* * *

**_~ R ~ J ~ L ~_**

* * *

I closed the curtains around my bed, automatically muttering a silencing charm, and sat with my back against the headboard. Lily sat beside me and pulled her knees to her chest.

"So, what's bothering you?" I asked gently, not wanting to sound forceful. She chewed her lip and her forehead creased in thought.

"It's...Potter," she said after a moment.

"James?" I frowned. What had he done this time?"

"Yes," Lily said. "I...well, he's going out with Jez now, and...he's not obsessed with me anymore." I hid an amused smile. She seemed to be having trouble trying to say what she was thinking.

"Are you upset that she agreed to date him?" I asked. "Or are you worried he's going to hurt her?"

"Neither," Lily mumbled. My eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Oh?" I asked. "Then what is it?"

"I think..." she bit her lip. "...I think I'm jealous."

"You're not jealous," I grinned. "Well, not because he's dating Jezelyn and not you."

"What?" Lily asked, confused.

"You're jealous because she's getting his attention instead of you," I explained. At her puzzled look, I sighed. "He's been giving you special attention for six years. Now that he's not, you probably feel less wanted, or at least less noticed."

"How do you know?" Lily asked.

"Sirius," I said simply. "He used to get all the attention from his family, being the Black Heir. Then he got sorted into Gryffindor, and that all changed. They ignored him half the time, whenever they weren't telling him how much of a disgrace he was."

Lily stared at me.

"You're joking."

"No, I'm not, actually," I laughed. "But the point is, you just miss the attention. I don't think you actually have feelings for James."

"Whew!" Lily said, wiping her brow in exaggerated relief. "Well, thank Merlin for that!"

I laughed, making her grin back at me.

"Did you want to talk about Petunia?" I asked, still smiling. Her grin faltered slightly.

"Not...not particularly," she said. I looked down at the letter in my hand. "You can read it if you want," she muttered, wrapping her arms around her knees. "It's easier than telling you myself."

I gave her a sympathetic smile and unfolded the paper.

_"Lily,_

_I wasn't planning on writing you, but decided it was for the best. Last weekend, I was married─"_

I stopped and glared at the letter, pulling Lily into a hug as she burst into tears. I rubbed her back soothingly and let her cry, knowing it was better to let it out than to hold it in.

"S-Sorry," Lily sniffed, wiping her eyes. "Keep going." I nodded silently and looked down at the letter again.

_"Last weekend, I was married to Vernon Dursley, who proposed to me back in February. Knowing you were busy with "school," I decided not to bother you with it. The only reason I am telling you now is because Vernon doesn't know that __**your**__ kind use owls to send your mail, and I don't want one of those filthy creatures to fly into our home and scare him. Don't send me anything unless you plan on doing it the __**normal**__ way. You can ask mum for our address. I didn't want to risk one of your __**freaky friends**__ discovering where we live. I'd rather you not write me at all, unless it is of the utmost importance._

_- Petunia"_

I stared down at the letter, trying to process what I had just read.

"That's the first letter she's sent me since third year," Lily said quietly.

"And which letter was that?" I asked out of curiosity. Lily blinked rapidly as her eyes teared up again.

"The one telling me to stop writing her," she whispered. "She wouldn't talk to me, you know. All last summer, not even a word. She left every time I entered the room, and when Mum sent her to tell me something, she'd just shove a note in my hand and leave as quickly as she could. I'm losing my s-sister, and I d-don't think that's anything I c-can do about it!"

Tears were running down her cheeks. She wiped them away furiously, but I quickly caught her wrists. She looked up, startled.

"Don't hold it in," I said softly. "It only makes it worse. Let it all out."

Lily gave in and buried her face in my chest, dissolving into tears. For a moment I froze in shock. Yes, I had comforted her before, and yes, we had been friends since first year, but something about this made it feel as though she was a bit too close. Moony obviously noticed too, because I was having a hard time keeping him under control.

After an awkward moment of sitting frozen, I quickly pushed away my shock and wrapped my arms around her, comforting her. I ran a hand soothingly through her hair and rubbed her back, waiting patiently for her to calm down.

I smiled when she lifted her head to look at me.

"Feel better?" I asked. She nodded, staring up at me with shining emerald eyes. I had to hold Moony back when she bit her lip pensively.

"Thank you," she whispered. "And I'm sorry─"

"Don't be," I said quickly. "I'm always here to make you feel better. Don't you ever forget that!" I smiled and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek, as I always did at the end of these talks we often had, but this time she turned her head at the last second and I caught her lips instead.

We leapt apart instantly, eyes wide and staring at eachother in shock. Then she leaned forward, biting her lip, and before I know what was happening, Moony was in control.

* * *

_**End of Chapter One**_

* * *

**_A/N:_**** Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of my second FanFiction posted in the history of forever! Please leave a response! Critiques wanted...PLEASE tell me any and all opinions, good and bad! Flames will be used to torch Horcruxes.**

**Read my profile for extra information, and have a Fan-tabul-awesome-sauce-ishness day!**

_**~M.J.W.**_

_Edited Cover Image Belongs To Jason Manzatt and Claudia Wallace_


	2. Chapter Two : Ambiguous Awakening

_**A/N: **_**This is my second publicly shared FanFiction. (To read more about my first ****_attempts_**** at writing FanFics, see my bio...)**

**haze 1982** - I'm extremely glad I'm not the only one who noticed the obvious lack of Lily/Remus fics! I really do like this pairing, and I simply don't understand why more people haven't written them. I'm also glad that you find my story _interesting_. I wasn't sure how well this would be accepted by readers, and your review means a lot to me. I wasn't really sure whether or not Lily would be affected by James no longer obsessing over her, but I feel (or at least I hope) that I kept her feelings mostly in-character, though I know it isn't canon. ;) Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

And thank you to **Animorphs007** for reading through every single one of my fanfics I've ever written...she's been a big help!

**This is actually an idea that has been bouncing around in my head for some time now. It started back when I was looking for some fanart I could use for my OC on a Harry Potter Roleplay website called Wizmail. My character (Maggie Weasley) has red hair and green eyes and was dating Remus Lupin's son, so I started looking for Lily/Remus fanart. I discovered that, apparently, Lily/Remus isn't a very popular pairing used in fanart, or fanfiction for that matter. That's when I started pondering the idea of writing one of my own. It was around that time that I read Bloody Phantom's ****_Harry PotterLupin?_**** and finally found inspiration for my first Lily/Remus fanfic. Enjoy!**

**Staring at Bed Hangings,**

_**~M.J.W.**_

_**Moon Lilies**_

* * *

**Chapter Two – Ambiguous Awakening**

* * *

The first thing I noticed when I woke up is the smell. I hadn't even opened my eyes yet, but I knew that something was off about that smell. My dormitory didn't smell like that. Trust me, I would know. I'd practically lived there for six years.

The second thing I noticed was that I wasn't wearing clothes. That in itself was terrifying enough, but to make matters worse, the bed I was lying on didn't feel like mine.

I opened my eyes and found myself staring up at a dark red canopy. Okay. At least I knew I was still in Gryffindor Tower. I looked to my right and was suddenly wide awake. With a scream that I was sure woke the whole tower, I sat bolt-upright and backed away, clutching the blankets to my chest. Beside me, Remus Lupin - for that was who was lying in bed with me - jerked awake and looked around frantically. His eyes landed on me and he shouted, toppling backwards off the bed and landing on the floor with a thud, pulling a blanket down with him.

"R-Remus?" I whispered. "Are you alright?"

"F-Fine!" I heard him say from the floor. He reappeared with a blanket around his waist and massaging his head. I blushed and stared at my lap as he sat awkwardly on the edge of the bed.

"So," I started weakly. "So, last night...we..."

"Y-Yeah," Remus said, his face turning red. If is wasn't such a serious moment, I probably would have been laughing at how flustered he looked. He cleared his throat and glanced at me. "Was that...your - your first time?" he asked, his voice higher than normal.

"Yes," I said quietly, blushing. "You?" He gave me a hesitant, lopsided smile.

"Yeah," he breathed. He licked his lips and met my eyes. "I'm...sort of glad it was you."

"Me too," I whispered, a nervous smile spreading across my face. Remus sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, turning away from me. "I lost control last night." I shook my head, even though I knew he couldn't see it.

"It's as much my fault as it is yours," I said, trying to make him feel better. "I was the one who drank three glasses of firewhiskey. I wasn't exactly sober, now was I? Plus, I _was_ a bit of an emotional wreck─"

"It wasn't your fault you lost control," Remus insisted, still not looking at me. "I should have had more restraint over myself. I knew what day it was. I knew that tonight is the full moon, and that it's harder to control─" He broke off suddenly with a sharp intake of breath, and I saw his bare back and shoulders tense.

"Remus?" I asked concernedly. When he didn't respond, I reached out a tentative hand to touch his shoulder. The moment my fingers brushed his skin he flinched away from me and spun to face me. The color drained from his face and his eyes were wide with horror. "Remus?" I repeated, now very worried.

"Oh, Gods," he gasped. "Tonight's the full moon. what if I...infected you? You could be a werewolf now, too, and it's my fault─"

"Remus," I said, rolling my eyes and smiling humoredly at the thought. "You weren't a werewolf last night."

"It doesn't matter!" Remus protested, running a hand through his hair again in frustration, making it stand up all over the place. "I've done infinite amounts of research on the different ways one can be infected with lycanthropy..." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, and when he reopened them, he was in full-academic mode, probably in an attempt to conceal his panic. "A werewolf, even in human form, can transfer the _disease_ through their saliva, blood, or...er...other bodily fluids..." He blushed furiously and held the blanket tighter around himself.

"And how does it have to be 'transferred'?" I asked, honestly curious about this new information.

"Well," Remus said, fidgeting uncomfortably. "The most common way is through an open wound. Ingestion is another possibility, but the likelihood of infection is almost non-existent. Then there is heredity, passing it on from parent to child - again, highly unlikely, as my kind don't usually breed. And, of course, there's...well..." His eyes flicked downward and snapped back up to my eyes quickly, and I felt my face heat up with embarrassment.

"Oh," I muttered. I suddenly found myself highly fascinated in the hangings around the bed.

"There's an easy way to test it, though," Remus said quickly, obviously wanting to change the subject. "Just...just touch something silver, and..." I nodded silently.

There was a long pause during which a sudden question struck me. Would this change anything? Remus and I had been friends since first year, but while we were close, we never had thought of the relationship between us as a romantic one. Did sleeping together suddenly make it one? Or would we try to just remain friends, only to have things be awkward between us? Was our friendship ruined?

Remus cleared his throat.

"I'm...er...I'm going to get dressed, alright?" he mumbled, clutching the blanket around his as he stood up.

"Where does this leave us?" I asked carefully, watching for his reaction.

* * *

_**~ R ~ J ~ L ~**_

* * *

I paused, one hand about the push the bed hangings aside, and turned around to look at Lily. My heart pounded in my chest as I contemplated telling her the one secret I promised myself I would take to the grave.

"I don't know about you, but...but last night...that first kiss...I...I felt something. It just...it felt _right_. Lily─" I mentally cursed myself for what I was about to say. "─I have to be honest. I've l-liked you for a while now, m-maybe since first y-year. You're the...you're the first person to find out about my...about my l-lycanthropy and _not_ react as though I was some hideous monster." She stared at my blankly.

"What?"

"Nevermind," I said quickly, feeling like an idiot. "I'm sorry. Forget I said anything." I turned away, but was stopped from leaving the curtains by a hand on my arm. Lily was standing beside me, the sheet from my bed wrapped tightly around her and a nervous look on her face.

"Were you telling the truth?" she asked, her eyes searching mine. I nodded. And blushed. I'm sure my face was as red as a quaffle right then. "Oh, Remus, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Her eyes were shining.

"James," I mumbled. It had been unanimously agreed on the first day James had attempted to ask out Lily Evans in our third year, that she was off-limits to the rest of us, a promise I regretted making not a year later when I discovered my own feelings for her.

"Oh," Lily said quietly. "Of course." She bit her lip.

"Listen, why don't you get dressed?" I sighed, looking away from her.

"R-Right," Lily stuttered, blushing. I helped her gather up her clothes and stood with my back to her, offering her a bit of privacy. I felt her eyes on my back and shifted the blankets self-consciously to wrap around my shoulders.

"Are all of those scars from the full moons?" I heard her ask in a near-silent whisper. Even though I had been expecting the question, my mind couldn't form the answer into words. I nodded stiffly. Lily finished dressing in silence...the most awkward and tense silence I have ever experienced, including the moment I told the other Marauders I was a werewolf.

"I'm done." I turned around to see Lily sitting fully-clothed on the edge of my bed with her back facing me. "Your turn." The first thing I did after pulling on some underwear was throw on a shirt to cover my scars. I knew she wasn't looking, but that didn't make me any less uncomfortable about them being visible. They were the hideous, horrifying reminder of what I became every month. What if she suddenly realized how much of a monster I really was? Because that's what I really was, a monster, no matter how human I looked twenty-nine days out of the month. It still shocked me that Lily had never seen me that way, had only ever thought of me as 'Just Remus'. I turned around and took in her posture - hunched over slightly, a bit tense, twisting a strand of hair in her fingers - trying to figure out how she felt at the moment. Her scent didn't give off much, either. She only seemed nervous and a bit skittish. Like a doe that knew she was being stalked, ready to run at a moment's notice...probably not the best metaphor for a werewolf to use.

Realizing I had been standing there for over a minute, I shook myself and regained focus. I coughed to let Lily know I was finished. She turned around and studied me with emerald eyes.

"Lily, I know we've been friends since first year, but I've just admitted to having liked you as more than a friend for almost three years now. I just...I need to know...if you feel the same way at all?" I swallowed as her brow furrowed, he emotions unclear. "A-And...I was wondering if...if you'd like to become more than friends?" Lily chewed her lip pensively. It was a full two minutes before she responded.

"I don't know," she murmured, tugging at her hair. My heart dropped and my throat went dry.

_'Of course she didn't like me like that! What was I thinking? How could someone like Lily possibly like a werewolf like me as more than just a friend...?'_

I swallowed the lump in my throat and stared at the ground.

"Could I try something?" she asked. I looked across the bed at her and nodded numbly.

Lily walked around the bed until she was standing in front of me, her expression uncertain and her heartbeat racing. She stood on tiptoe and tilted her face upward so that her lips met mine.

Fireworks.

That's the only way I could describe it. It was as though we were the only two people in the world, and fireworks were erupting in my mind, and my entire body was tingling with warmth. Our hearts seemed to beat in unison as I pulled her close, our bodies on the verge of meshing together. I knew I still had a full moon to deal with when the night came, but for the moment, it was wiped completely from my mind. This was perfect..._this_ was what I had been hoping for for three years. I almost didn't want it to end. But then logic kicked in and I pulled away, panting slightly. She was gazing up at me with shining, blissful eyes, and I could see the answer to my questions written in every inch of her beaming smile.

"Yes," she sighed. "Yes, Remus Lupin, I _do _like you. And I would be more than happy to become your girlfriend."

The grin that appeared on my face was so wide, it hurt. I let out a relieved breath and rested my forehead against Lily's.

A sudden thought occurred to me and I groaned.

"James is going to kill me."

Lily laughed.

* * *

_**End of Chapter Two**_

* * *

**_A/N:_**** Thank you so much for reading the second chapter of my second FanFiction posted in the history of forever! Please leave a response! Critiques wanted...PLEASE tell me any and all opinions, good and bad! Flames will be used to torch Horcruxes. (And maybe the occasional Guertena painting...)**

**Read my profile for extra information, and have a Fan-tabul-awesome-sauce-ishness day!**

_**~M.J.W.**_

_Edited Cover Image Belongs To Jason Manzatt and Claudia Wallace_


	3. Chapter Three: Avoiding Suspicion

**! ! ! DISCLAIMER ! ! !**

***Reads copyright info in cover of HP&PoA* Nope, that's not my name. Sorry!**

* * *

_**A/N: **_**This is my second publicly shared FanFiction. (To read more about my first ****_attempts_**** at writing FanFics, see my bio...)**

**haze1982** - Thank you! I tend to find it difficult to keep my writing In Character, but I really do try. Recently I've had some issues with that, but I'm working on it. I hope you like this chapter!

**EmberlynnFaye** - To answer your question, Chapter Three is...RIGHT HERE! ;D I'm glad you're enjoying this so much! I would also like to apologise. Apparently the Wizmail site was "frozen", most likely due to lack of activity...I'm gonna try to get it up and running again, but no guarantees... :(

**Loony Moony Padfoot and Prongs** - This is your first Remus/Lily fic? I'm flattered! I'm glad you like it so far. I have many more chapters written in my notebook, it's just a matter of finalising and typing...up...everything...

**BalletDancer14** - Romantic? Why thank you! Personally, I enjoy writing dramatic and/or emotional scenes, so trust me, there will be many more mushy scenes in the future! ;) I'll try to update more frequently, but no promises!

**Liesel97** - Who is this? Hmm...let's see...is your favourite colour purple? ^.^ Lol! Thank you so very much for the flattering compliments...I am so very glad you are enjoying the story thus far and do hope you will continue enjoying said story in the future. ;D But Siriusly, thanks so much! You made me blush! (Okay, who is this really? I have a couple names in my head of who you could be, but I'm not entirely sure...)

**Gillian Cooke **- I'm so glad I'm not the only one who wishes there were more of these stories out there! Seriously, Lilemus is my favourite pairing of all time!

**And just a warning to all my readers: Chapter Four is not gonna be a happy chappy. Just warning ya.**

Many thanks to my good friend Alex H. for giving me inspiration to finish this chapter...it wouldn't be posted right now if it weren't for her!

And thank you to **Animorphs007** for reading through every single one of my fanfics I've ever written...she's been a big help!

**This is actually an idea that has been bouncing around in my head for some time now. It started back when I was looking for some fanart I could use for my OC on a Harry Potter Roleplay website called Wizmail. My character (Maggie Weasley) has red hair and green eyes and was dating Remus Lupin's son, so I started looking for Lily/Remus fanart. I discovered that, apparently, Lily/Remus isn't a very popular pairing used in fanart, or fanfiction for that matter. That's when I started pondering the idea of writing one of my own. It was around that time that I read Bloody Phantom's****_Harry PotterLupin?_**** and finally found inspiration for my first Lily/Remus fanfic. Enjoy!**

**Worrying Too Much****,**

_**~M.M.W.**_

_**Moon Lilies**_

* * *

**Chapter Three – Avoiding Suspicion**

* * *

Lady Luck must have been on our side that morning, because I somehow managed to escape the boys' dormitory without notice. When I entered my own room, however, it was Emily Davis who I found sitting cross-legged on my bed, her arms folded over her chest and one eyebrow cocked questioningly.

"Spill," she demanded. Her fierce blue eyes and frizzy halo of blond curls made her look even more intimidating.

"What?" I asked innocently, feigning ignorance.

"Oh, I don't know," Emily said sarcastically. "How about...er...oh yeah - where the BLOODY HELL _were_ you last night?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied, strolling over to my trunk and digging through it to find a set of clean clothes. I felt Em's eyes boring into my head, but I ignored her.

"Let's see," she muttered. "Wrinkled clothes...mussed up hair...shiny skin...distinct smell of _boy_, and..." Her eyes widened. "Chocolate?!"

"Remus and I fell asleep down by the lake last night," I said quickly. She was getting dangerously close to the truth.

"Uh-huh," Emily said disbelievingly. "And James Potter hates Quidditch."

"I'm being honest!" I insisted. I stood with my newly-selected clothes and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower, refraining from wincing at how sore I suddenly realised I was.

I let out a sigh of relief when the lock clicked shut behind me. Perhaps I would actually get a moment to myself to think about what had happened with Remus. After all, I hadn't really had a chance to just stop and sort through my thoughts between the events of last night and sneaking out of Remus' dormitory that morning...

I turned on the tap and started pulling off my clothes from the night before, which were wrinkled and in desperate need of a thorough washing. And try as I might, I couldn't stop my mind from going back to the last time those same clothes had been taken off of me...though that time, it had been Remus who-

_NO!_

I forced the thought from my mind and quickly jumped into the shower, letting the hot water soothe my aching muscles and wash away any regrets I may have had about last night. After all, it hadn't ended badly...had it? Remus had told me he had feelings for me...he asked me out...and I had said yes...

_"James is going to kill me..."_

My eyes flew open as I suddenly realised...

Shit.

James.

I was now the girlfriend of one of James Potter's best friends...it felt a bit like cheating. If that wasn't a dangerous relationship to be in, I didn't know what was. I really didn't want to be there when James heard _that_ shocking announcement. Should I have said "Yes" when Remus asked me to be his girlfriend? Was that really a wise decision? Was it logical?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Logic had nothing to do with this! This was a matter of the heart, not a matter of the mind. How did I actually feel about Remus? I wasn't entirely sure if I was comfortable thinking of him as my boyfriend.

I reached up with a shaking hand and touched my lips. _But that kiss..._

_"His glance had fireworks in it...we kissed, and my heart did a whiz-bang, flip-flop, heaven-for-a-minute..."_

Slowly, a small smile appeared on my face. Nobody had ever made me feel like that after just one kiss...

By the time I returned to my bed twenty minutes later, Emily hadn't moved an inch, but Jezelyn was now awake, as were Alice Fortescue and Mary MacDonald. They fell silent as I entered the room, a faint smile on my face, which vanished almost instantly as they all fixed their gazes on me.

"What's got you so cheerful this morning?" Jezelyn asked, smirking slightly.

"Nothing," I said, smiling again as I remembered Remus...my boyfriend. I had a _boyfriend_.

"There's that grin again!" Mary giggled in her thick Scottish accent as she continued pinning her hair up into a neat bun.

"What grin?" I asked absent-mindedly as I stowed last night's clothes back in my trunk. _And that kiss..._

All four of my friends kept pestering my for answers all the way down to breakfast, but I didn't breath a word. I almost laughed when we entered the Great Hall, seeing Remus being questioned in a similar way by the other three...what did they call themselves? The Marauders, wasn't it?

His gaze met mine and he smiled shyly. I smiled back, my heart pounding and my face flushing with colour. Our eyes locked for a moment, then broke contact a second later when Jez dragged me by the elbow towards out usual seat further down the table.

* * *

_**~ R ~ J ~ L ~**_

* * *

"Earth the Remus?" Sirius' voice popped my thought bubble, and I blinked at him in confusion.

"Huhn?" I mumbled, dragging my thoughts away from Lily.

"I think he's broken," Sirius said to James, who was looking me over and tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"Isn't he usually a little out of it the day of...you know?" Peter gestured to the ceiling with his fork, where the bright, cloudless sky seemed to be reflecting my mood exactly.

After all, it wasn't everyday a werewolf found someone who was willing to love him, fur, tail, and all. It just didn't happen.

"Did something happen last night?" James asked.

I stiffened at his words, but quickly recovered, hopefully fast enough that no-one noticed my momentary tension.

"Like what?" I asked, frowning in what I hoped was a look of innocent confusion.

"Like - I don't know - drinking so much Firewhiskey that even your werewolf metabolism couldn't handle it?" James suggested, grinning.

"Or taking a daydream potion for a dare?" Sirius added, his face spreading into an identical grin.

"Or kissing a girl?" Peter said jokingly.

The final suggestion caused me to choke on the pumpkin juice I had been in the process of drinking.

"_What?!_" I spluttered, feigning shock and disbelief. Alright, the shock was real. Had Peter overheard something he shouldn't have, despite the silencing charms I had cast? Or was it just a lucky guess?

"I'm only kidding!" Peter said hastily. Lucky guess. I sent him a withering glare and pulled out my wand to clean up the pumpkin juice I had sprayed across the table. I used it as an opportunity to watch James and make sure he didn't suspect anything. Judging by the fact that he was doubled over in laughter, he was still clueless. Good.

"I'm going to the library to review for Potions," I announced, using the excuse to avoid any other questions. I had already grabbed my bag and was almost ten feet away when Sirius spoke.

"Why?"

I turned to face him. His eyes were narrowed and he was watching me carefully, the usually-present ghost of a smile absent from his expression.

"I'm rubbish at Potions, you know that," I said snappishly. "And seeing as this year is our N.E.W.T. year, I'd rather I _didn't_ fail. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have studying to do." I turned on my heels and marched angrily from the Great Hall, Moony's temper bubbling just below the surface.

* * *

_**~ L ~ R ~ E ~**_

* * *

I watched Remus leave the Hall, chewing my lip worriedly. Before I even realised what I was doing, I had rise from my seat with my bag in hand with the intention of following him.

"Where are you going?" Jez asked, and the other three girls stopped talking abruptly.

"Library," I muttered, still staring at the spot Remus had been only seconds before.

"What for?" It was Emily's voice this time, sharp and accusatory. I turned to look at her. Her expression was one of feigned innocent curiosity. I know it was fake because the look in her eyes was dark and questioning.

"I promised Remus I'd help him study...for...Potions," I lied, leaving before Em could say anything else. She was too clever for her own good.

Ever since this morning when I arrived back at the dorm, Emily Davis seemed to sense something was up. She _knew_ something big had happened, she just didn't know what. And if there was one thing about Emily that I knew for certain, it was that she was determined. When she wanted to know something, she wouldn't rest until she found her answer.

That scared the hell out of me right now.

"Lily?"

I looked up and saw Remus Lupin standing five yards away, glancing back at me over his shoulder in surprise.

"Hey," I said, smiling softly. I hurried to catch up to him.

"Are you following me?" Remus asked.

"Yes," I admitted. "I saw you leave, and I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Why?"

"What, can't a girl worry about he boyfriend?" I whispered with a smile, the words foreign on my tongue. A blush crept up my cheeks.

"I suppose she can," Remus chuckled. He continued on down the hall and I fell into step beside him.

"So, what happened?" I asked, unable to keep the concern out of my voice.

"What do you mean, 'What happened'?"

"I know you, Remus," I pressed. "I know you didn't just leave the Great Hall to go to the Library. Something is bothering you." I watched his expression flit between closed off, uncertain, and stressed, all in the course of a few seconds.

"I think...Sirius knows something is up," he admitted quietly. "I don't think James has caught on yet, but Sirius is his best friend. The moment Sirius figures it out, James will be out to hunt me down and attack me with his broomstick. Or maybe Padfoot's Beater's bat." I winced at the thought.

"I guess you and I are in the same boat," I sighed. At his questioning look, I continued. "Emily was awake when I got back this morning. She's pretty suspicious that something is going on, and I think she's trying to figure out what. Which doesn't bode well for us, knowing what Emily can be like." I sighed and stared at the floor, feeling guilty for keeping this from the girls. It really wasn't that big of a deal, but I never lied to anyone, let alone my friends. At the same time, I didn't want to let Remus get hurt, which was exactly what would happen if James ever caught wind of this.

"Listen, Lily," Remus said. He stopped and turned to face me, putting a hesitant hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, okay? Even if they do find out, that's not necessarily a bad thing, right? We would only have to deal with James...and maybe Sirius..." I winced at the though of both Quidditch stars teaming up against Remus. I felt him lift my chin with a gentle finger and met his eyes. "What are you thinking about?"

"I just don't want you to get hurt," I said quietly. "They both know about you, and they could use it against you."

"You're forgetting," Remus said with a humorous smile, "James is dating Jezelyn. And I think he's very serious about this one."

"Serious?" I repeated. "As in-"

"As in, I think he's finally over you," Remus smiled.

"Really?" I asked, shocked, then shook my head and steered my thoughts back on topic. "Well, whether that's true or not, he'll still be angry with you. He only asked Jez out last night!"

Remus closed his eyes with a sigh, resting his forehead against mine.

"You worry too much," he murmured, his arms slipping around my waist. My heart did a sort of flip-flop and my breath caught in my through._ He was so close..._

* * *

_**~ R ~ J ~ L ~**_

* * *

I heard a sharp intake of breath and chuckled nervously.

"Too soon?" I asked, opening my eyes and meeting Lily's emerald ones.

"N-No," Lily said, turning red as - I'm assuming - last night's events crossed her mind. I felt my face flush and I looked away.

"Really, Lily, if you're uncomfortable, I can-" I started to pull away.

"Remus, don't-" Lily said, gripping my arms, effectively holding me there. "It's fine. Really. I...it's just...it's weird, that's all."

"Weird?" I looked back down at her and searched her face for the meaning behind her words. Was she having second thoughts?

"I'm still getting used to the idea of you being my...my boyfriend." Lily blushed and smiled up at me embarrassedly.

"Oh," I said with dawning understanding. I slowly wrapped my arms around her again and held her close, smiling when Lily curled up against my chest. "Why don't we just take things slow?"

"It's a bit late for that," Lily said, her voice muffled by my shirt. I laughed after a moment, realising she was right.

"Alright, we'll take it slow _from now on_," I amended. "In the meantime, we should get to the Library. That's where I told Sirius I was going.

"That's what I told Emily, too," Lily said, pulling away and adjusting her bag on her shoulder. She glanced up at me, chewing her lip, then looked down at my hand. After a moment, she hesitantly reached out and took my hand in her own. I smiled at her and squeezed her fingers reassuringly.

We started off towards the library, in an attempt to - maybe - get some actual homework done.

* * *

_**~ L ~ R ~ E ~**_

* * *

"It'll be just like every other full moon."

"But what if it's not?"

"You worry too much."

Remus and I were sitting in the back corner of the Library where no-one could hear us. He was leaning back against a bookcase while I sat on his lap, my head resting on his shoulder. We had spent the past few hours getting comfortable around eachother again, but recently the conversation had turned towards that night's upcoming full moon. For some reason I couldn't fathom, I was much more worried than usual. Maybe it was the knowledge that I had more to lose if something went wrong, but I had the strangest feeling that something bad would happen tonight.

"How can I _not_ worry, Remus?" I said quietly. "You have to go out every month and go through what you do...and I'm never sure whether you'll come back alive or...or d-d..." I broke off and swallowed thickly. I simply _couldn't_ say the word.

"Oh, Lily...look at me," Remus murmured in my ear. I lifted my head from his shoulder but didn't meet his eyes. "Please?" He put a single beneath my chin and gently lifted my face so I would look at him. His eyes were soft and understanding as a small smile spread across his unmarred face.

"I promise you I will not die tonight," he said in a firm but gentle voice, though I noticed his smile wavered slightly near the end of the sentence. He was obviously just as scared as I was, but his words were genuine. He believed whole-heartedly that he would make it through the night, and that alone settled my fears enough for me to smile weakly back at him.

"I'm still worried, though," I said quietly, grabbing his hand and pulling it away from my chin. I held it tightly as though afraid to let go. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Remus sighed and looked away from me.

"I can't promise you that," he said sadly. "You know as well as I do that I have always come back after the full moon with at least one new injury. I can't help that. But..." He met my eyes once again. "But if it will make you feel better, how about I have someone tell you how I'm doing the moment I get back?"

"Would you?" I asked hopefully. I felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

"Of course," Remus smiled. "First thing in the morning."

"Thank you," I breathed, throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "Thank you."

* * *

_**~ L ~ R ~ E ~**_

* * *

I sat on a windowsill in the common room with my knees tucked beneath my chin, watching the grounds as invisible feet made impressions in the grass. I sniffed and wrapped my arms tightly around myself. I'd always been worried about Remus during the full moons, but this was different. Now, if something were to happen to him, it would affect me much more.

"Lily?"

I looked away from the window and saw Jezelyn standing beside me.

"Hey, Jez," I said, attempting a half-hearted smile.

"Hi, Lily," Jez said in her sweet, gentle voice. She returned the smile and sat on the will with me, also looking out the window. "You're worried about Remus, aren't you?"

"I-I don't know what you mean," I stuttered. _How did Jez find out about Remus?!_

"Yes, you do," Jezelyn smiled. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I figured it out on the train in our fifth year. Nobody knows I know, except James, of course."

"How?" I hissed, my panic ebbing away, replaced by curiosity.

"I overheard the boys talking in their compartment. James and Sirius were trying to convince Remus to open up a bit, to let people get closer to him. He argued back and said that he had already done that in his first year, and that the result had been them finding out he was a werewolf, and he couldn't risk it happening again."

Without realising it, my expression had changed from panic to surprise. Remus had never told me about that conversation.

"Oh," I said quietly, turning my attention back to the window as the Whomping Willow in the distance began flailing wildly. A moment of two later, the branches had frozen, and I knew Remus was inside the tunnel. "And there they go," I muttered.

"He'll be fine," Jez said with a small, reassuring smile. "He does this every month, remember? And, if I recall correctly, the last time he had a really rough night was...two years ago?" I winced at the memory. If Black hadn't been so goddamn stupid, Severus would never have found out about the passage, and Remus would never have gotten hurt so badly. He had been lucky so far, and he didn't have any really obvious scars on his face, neck, or hands. Lucky because it meant there was less of a chance of discovery by other students.

"I know," I sighed, my eyes moving from the tree to the silver moon that was slowly rising into the sky. A long, pained howl echoed through the night and I wrapped my arms tighter around myself. "But I'm still worried."

That night, I barely slept.

* * *

_**End of Chapter Three**_

* * *

**_A/N:_**** Thank you so much for reading the third chapter of my second FanFiction posted in the history of forever! Please leave a response! Critiques wanted...PLEASE tell me any and all opinions, good and bad! Flames will be used to torch Horcruxes and burn any hair Lord Moldy-Shorts still has left.**

**Read my profile for extra information, and have a Fantastic day!**

_**~M.M.W.**_

* * *

_Edited Cover Image Belongs To Jason Manzatt and Claudia Wallace_


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